HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

Human Resource Management



Table of Contents

Introduction2

Why Human Resource Planning is Important2

Recruitment Process of Unilever3

What is Induction?3

Training needs and Types of Training4

Performance Appraisal4

Equal Opportunity in Business5

Reasons for Equal Opportunities Policy6

Legislation Regarding Equal opportunity6

Conclusion7

References9

Human Resource Management

Introduction

Human Resource management is one of the support departments of a company which aims to attract, recruit and retain the best talent in the organization. Since, employees are the best asset of the organization. Therefore, human resource department aims to manage the workforce effectively, so that they can ultimately achieve the organizational goals. In this assignment, I am going to discuss the importance of human resource planning and the human resource strategy of Unilever, which comes under the list of UK's FTSE 100 companies (London Stock Exchange, 2011, p.1).

Why Human Resource Planning is Important

Human resource planning aims to meet the demand and supply of the labour force, which is required to achieve the mission, vision, and the overall objectives of the organization. Human resource planning starts with the forecast of the future labour requirement. After estimating the required number of employees and vacant job positions, the HR department recruits and trains the best pool of employees so that they can fit into the organizational culture. HR planning helps the organization to manage a strong and competent workforce, which helps the company to capitalize on its strengths, overcomes its weakness, foresee the future market opportunities and prepare a backup plan against the market threats (Armstrong, 2006, p. 57).

Recruitment Process of Unilever

The recruitment process of Unilever is very comprehensive and competitive. It aims at hiring the right number of employees at the right time for the right position. The main focus of the company is to hire the top professionals and graduates from the leading universities. The recruitment process of Unilever starts with the identification of the vacancy. The company places its ads in business, and daily newspapers to get the required number of applications. After reviewing the applications it shortlists the candidates who knowledge, skills and abilities meet the minimum qualification required, are called for telephone interviews. Once they clear telephone interviews, they have to go through formal interview process. Once the candidate passes all panel and one-to-one interviews, the panel takes the final hiring decision (Unilever, 2011, p.1).

What is Induction?

Induction is formal orientation process, in which the organization introduces the new employees to overall organizational culture, employees, team leader, colleagues and organizational policies. It is the introduction of employees with the overall company and its mission, vision and goals, so that he or she can easily fit into the organizational culture (Bandt, Haines, 2004, p.17). The job, duties and responsibilities of the employee are communicated at this stage, so that he or she understands his role in the organization (Rae, 2000, p. 42).

For instance, when Unilever hires a new employee, it provides two types of orientations; general orientation and department-specific orientation. The purpose of general orientation is to communicate the mission, vision, values, organizational policies, code of conduct and culture or the ...